Dog insurance 2010 : HOW much???

[bunn]

 Just got Mollydog's medical insurance renewal reminder.  Last year it was £312 : this year she was 11 years old in September - and it's £622.10!   That's more than my car insurance!  

Again, the dilemma: do I pay it for the peace of mind (and after all, the insurance was good to have when she knackered her leg and needed all that work done to fix it!) , or put the money in a savings account and hope?  I guess it's the leg claim last year that has pushed things skywards, though it may just be the age.   Greyhound lifespan averages about 12-14 years, but she's in really good condition, so probably has at least one more year of looning about (or in insurance terms 'potential damage') ahead. Dread to think what next year's premium might be... 

Az's premium when he was 11 was just £180 - because he is a modest crossbreed rather than having a pedigree : he's now 12(ish, probably).

If I go the savings route I should probably arrange for liability insurance just in case.  I met a friend last week who needs a knee replacement op after being crashed into by a greyhound (not my greyhound, I hasten to add, friend used to run a greyhound rescue!) 

Comments

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I've never insured any individual animal, be it horse or dog as the premiums are so outrageous. I tend to think most vet bills would be covered by a few years of paying insurance anyway. The only thing worth having is third party. I was very glad to have that this year when my lambs went walkies and wrecked a brand new solar powered swimming pool cover!

[bunn.livejournal.com]

You have robust collies though - sighthounds are insanely fragile by comparison: they break easily and are difficult and expensive to patch up!

I think I'm actually just ahead on the insurance company on Mollydog's premiums over her lifetime - which is no doubt why the premium has gone up so much!

Az hasn't had a crash recently, but when he was younger he several times managed to tear exciting holes in himself which had to be stapled, and on one occasion he managed to deglove a back leg on a Sunday night: that was rather pricy (and a remarkable piece of needlework by the surgeon...)

I've never bothered insuring the cats, but not insuring 35mph dogs that are made of tissue paper and sticks is a bit more of a risk... Of course, they are slowing down and not quite so reckless nowadays!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I can see how you could run up the expenses very quickly with your hounds.

[helflaed.livejournal.com]

I'm sure that I'm up on Mikka's insurance- especially as he used to have a nasty habit of coming down with cystitis out of hours or on holidays. Including Christmas.